Charlene loved interior styling since she was a child. She remembers getting very excited when she was given full freedom to design her first bedroom.
“Mom hired an interior designer, who did the drawings. We sat around the table coloring each surface area with colored pencils. That room became my childhood dream room,” Charlene gushed.
With a deep love for beautiful things, it’s no wonder why Charlene chose graphic design and content creation as her career.
After Charlene and her husband tied the knot, they began house-hunting. Charlene preferred apartment-living after spending many years in one in Melbourne, Australia. On the other hand, her architect husband preferred a landed property.
“At that point, we were both in the beginning stages of our career and did not have the budget to afford a house in a fully developed neighborhood. So, we looked into areas that had development potential and a youthful vibe.” Charlene explained.
Despite the initial clash, the creative pair settled comfortably into a contemporary terrace house.
Not one to favor style over function, Charlene created a home filled with beautiful and functional spaces. For instance, her hallway currently houses storage solutions for her photography props and a crawling mat for her baby. Talk about multipurpose!
Charlene’s interior styling philosophy has created the perfect home that adapts and evolves no matter what season in her life she’s in. And right now, it works perfectly for this talented graphic designer, content creator and new mother.
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Name: Charlene
Location: Selangor, Malaysia
Type of home: Terrace house
Number of rooms: 4
Size: 2200 sqft
Years Lived In: 3 years
Rental / Owned: Owned
How would you describe your home style?
I don’t think I have a specific style. It’s so difficult to stick to one style! If anything, I enjoy the minimalist approach of Japanese, Scandinavian, and contemporary Australian interiors.
I prefer a combination of muted colors with light textural accents. I’m also attracted to spaces that are bright, airy, and have lots of natural light.
Our bedroom was the easiest to style as the layout was straightforward. I decided where the bed would go based on the locations of the electric sockets. We went with a neutral, mostly grey palette because that was the color both myself and husband could agree on – ha!
The study/home office required a bit more work, as we needed it to be functional with lots of storage space. It also had to accommodate a workspace for two.
The Ikea EKET series allowed us to mix and match different storage types and worked perfectly in terms of measurements.
Pinterest inspired me to paint one side (my side) of the wall pink! Later on, I added smaller pieces like the Skadis pegboard and string shelf to put up ideas and things I love.
What inspired your home decor?
We furnished our current home on a budget and with practicality in mind. So, a lot of our larger pieces are from Ikea. We used to travel once or twice per year, and we would buy items from our trips for our home.
Most of my inspiration comes from Pinterest and Instagram. I like colors that complement each other, natural texture, and soft tones.
Did you renovate your home?
We didn’t do much renovation. Does the kitchen count? Because we did get a kitchen specialist to design and install built-in cabinets in our kitchen. That took about half a year from design to implementation.
We also installed laminate wood flooring on the second floor. As practical as tiles are, I felt they made the house feel cold. Wooden flooring gives the house a natural cozy feeling. I think it is the best decision we made for our home!
Tell us about your favorite room or element in your home.
I love the morning light in our master bedroom, so that’s my favorite room in the house.
What is the best investment you’ve made for your home?
Definitely the wood flooring!
Name one thing you would like to change about your home.
Our wet kitchen is tiny. Since I do a fair bit of cooking, I would like a larger space that can accommodate more storage.
Our washing machine is also in the wet kitchen and it feels very out of place. It would be great to have a dedicated laundry room in the future.
Where do you shop for furniture and home decor pieces?
Ikea is literally my second home, ha! Most of our furniture pieces are from Ikea and Ruma. Our homeware are mostly from Hooga, Kmart Australia, Taobao, and from our travels.
What is your next home project?
Our nursery! 😀
I’ll like to keep the nursery in a neutral/natural tone. I’m also thinking to add animal motifs in the form of wall prints and a rug. I’m still undecided on the setup as I need it to be fluid to account for different needs as the baby grows. It will be a fun project, hopefully!
As a new mother, have you made any changes in your home to accommodate the arrival of your child?
Yes. For starters, we’ve replaced our carpet and coffee table with a crawling mat. I love this change because we are using this space more now that there’s a mat! It’s amazing how one item alone can change the way this space is used.
Baby currently rooms with us, so we’ve had to put in a cot and a three-tier trolley to store diaper changing essentials. I also cleared out drawer space to keep baby clothes.
Creating content requires a lot of props, which I’m sure you’ve accumulated over the years! What do you do with all of them?
I have a dedicated shelf for my photography props, ranging from magazines, small prints to ceramic and wooden wares.
Keeping everything in one place makes it easier to keep track of what I have as I’d be taking and putting things back in one place rather than different spots in the house.
These props also double up as display items, as I mostly keep and buy items within a specific aesthetic. In terms of storing them, I go by color group/type (ie. wooden wares, ceramics, and paper goods). Smaller loose items like clips and postcards are stored in closed drawers out of sight.
Do you have any tips for those who are interested to create content in their own homes?
The most important thing is to find a good place to shoot. I suggest shooting next to large windows or where natural light is ample. Compositions look best when well exposed without harsh shadows.
If you are using a lightbox, however, it might be worth dedicating a corner for photography so the setup is always ready when you need it.
Finally, any advice you would like to share with others?
When I had to furnish this home, I felt very overwhelmed as it was my first time furnishing a larger space. Before this, I only had to furnish my own room and it wasn’t hard to make it cozy. I just threw in a rug and soft cushions, maybe a string light or two!
With more space, it is easy for it to feel sterile and empty. It felt that way for many months after we moved in.
A few things I learned over the years: If a room is too large, it can be divided into two spaces. For instance, the master bedroom can be divided into a bedroom and a walk-in. Go with loose pieces of furniture so you have the freedom to change the layout when necessary.
After living in our home for 3 years, I realized furnishing a home is a process and not a destination. Style can evolve over the years based on taste and needs, and it’s OK for every space to be a work in progress.
It’s more important to enjoy the process of decorating the home and not rush into buying furniture just to fill up the space. Always style with function in mind. Small details will come naturally and can be attended to later on.
What do you love most about this content creator’s contemporary home? Follow Charlene’s journey on Instagram here.
Beautiful!
It is really lovely! Thank you for reading, Nana.